This Latest Essay Writing Contest Is the Most Delicious One Yet

Win the cupcake bakery of your dreams in 100 words or less.

It's official—hosting an essay contest to find a successor for your small business is the hottest new trend. First there was the quaint bed and breakfast in Maine looking for a new innkeeper, then there was the goat farm in Alabama. Even tiny houses are being offered up as a prize to one lucky person who can pen the perfect essay. But this might be the sweetest opportunity yet: Carole Kelher's family is relocating, so she's turned to—you guessed it—an essay writing contest to find a new owner for her business, Mix Cupcakerie & Bakery in Waitsfield, Vermont.

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Two years after launching, the popular bakery is now "on the the market" for the price of $75, a short essay, and your best cupcake recipe. To enter, all you have to do is tell Carole why you would be a great future owner in 100 words or less. Entries must be received before midnight on May 17th, and can be submitted via email. According to Carole, she's looking for someone with drive and a lot of energy, who feels passionate about cooking delicious treats.

Courtesy of Mix Cupcakerie & Kitchen

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The lucky winner will become the proud owner of an 800 square-foot storefront, a fully functional kitchen (built by Carole herself), all of the bakery's current recipes, plus two months' rent, utilities, ingredients, and payroll for the two existing employees, who will stay on to help with the transition, according to Dreambroker Industries. In a video posted to promote the contest, Carole also touts the charming town of Waitsfield as a great place to live, with a close-knit community.

Assuming the contest reaches its goal of raising $22,000, Carole will then select the top 10 applicants, who will then be judged by a board of unbiased individuals. The winner will be chosen by June 1st and the bakery will be transferred to its new owner within 30 days of notification—after proper training by Carole, of course.

Why are essay contests like this becoming so popular? The gimmick exposes small businesses to a greater pool of potential owners—making it easier to find the right fit. It also offers the lucky winner, who may not have had the money to start up a company on his or her own, the chance to receive an established business with a loyal set of customers for a small fee and a few well-written words. In exchange, the owner receives the money he or she originally invested in the store, and the satisfaction of knowing the business will live on in good hands.